VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help preserve a rare ancient woodland near Helmsley.

Birch Wood Nature Reserve is one of the most recent acquisitions for the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which is appealing for volunteers to help with their work.

Elizabeth Round, northern nature reserves officer, said: "Habitat preservation and restoration are so vitally important. Without this protection and careful management, the wildlife that relies so heavily on these pockets of undisturbed land in the trust’s care would cease to exist.

"In a woodland like Birch Wood alone there are thousands of species all living together in a balanced ecosystem, and the trust’s work aims to preserve this delicate co-existence of life.

"With grant aid funding from the Forestry Commission, the trust is able to carry out mechanical work like selective tree felling, but for much of the traditional management we need physical numbers of people to help us carry out tasks by hand."

The work involves a number of different activities that suit all ages and most abilities, ranging from coppicing hazel, pulling bracken, keeping paths clear, repairing fences, pulling dense areas of tree seedlings and more.

All tools and training are provided. For more information, phone 01904 659570 or go to ywt.org.uk